Advanced practice nurses, also called APNs, are registered nurses with extra education. Nurse practitioners are APNs who provide direct care and patient management in both primary and specialty care settings. Like all advanced practice nurses, NPs have an expanded role that includes the diagnosis and treatment of illness and injury, and they may prescribe medication. It can take as little as five years to become an NP through a direct-entry program, or as long as nine years to obtain a doctorate in nursing.

Become an RN

Only registered nurses can enter nurse practitioner programs. You can become an RN by completing a diploma program, which is a two- or three-year program from a hospital school of nursing, or by completing an associate degree program, which is a two-year program offered by many community colleges and some universities. Baccalaureate nursing programs usually take four years to complete. After graduation, you must take a national exam called the NCLEX-RN to become licensed as a registered nurse.

Preparation

Nursing programs vary in curriculum. You may need to repeat courses, take more up-to-date classes in the same subjects or complete prerequisite courses before you can enter the master’s level program that is required to become an NP. If you are an experienced nurse who has been practicing for some time, the classes you took in your nursing program may not meet the current standards to allow you to go straight into an NP program. Obtain your transcript and send it to the school of your choice to determine whether you need additional education before beginning the NP program.

Masters or Doctorate

Some NP programs award a doctoral degree, although most offer master’s programs, which is the minimum acceptable educational preparation for an NP. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing recommends that all advanced practice nurses should have a doctorate by 2015. A master’s in nursing science usually takes four years for a full-time student. A doctoral program can take an additional three to four years. Many RNs who work full-time can only attend classes part-time, which may lengthen the time to an NP degree.

Direct Entry

Direct-entry programs take the student through the RN program and straight into the master of science in nursing program. The student can qualify to take the NCLEX-RN exams at the end of 15 months of full-time study. Some direct-entry MSN programs require a baccalaureate in either nursing or another field. A direct-entry program may also require that students work as registered nurses for six months or more to obtain experience before completing the NP course work. Most direct entry programs take about three years.

About the Author

Beth Greenwood is an RN and has been a writer since 2010. She specializes in medical and health topics, as well as career articles about health care professions. Greenwood holds an Associate of Science in nursing from Shasta College.